PROCESSING PLANT-BASED MATERIAL FOR USE IN SMOKING PRODUCTS

Abstract

The embodiments disclose a method for processing plant-based material for smoking products including maintaining the plant-based material submerged within a liquid medium in a container while the liquid medium is being boiled, removing the boiled plant-based material from the container, and drying the boiled plant-based material, the drying comprising directing negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material to at least partially neutralize odor and/or taste, a plant-based material product produced by the method is also provided as a smoking product including the plant-based material product or the plant-based material product combined with a treatment material such as CBD, CBG, a flavoring agent and combinations thereof, also provided is a plant-based material product comprising boiled plant-based material dried while being exposed to negative air ions, and a smoking product such as a cigarette incorporating the plant-based material product or the plant-based material product combined with a treatment material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/074,386 filed Sep. 3, 2020, entitled “PROCESSING PLANT MATERIAL FOR USE IN SMOKING PRODUCTS”, by Joe Deighan.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The following relates generally to processing plant-based material such as plants or plant components that are to be included in cigarettes or other smoking products, and more particularly to methods for removing or neutralizing certain contents of such plant-based material that are responsible for flavors and/or aromas.

BACKGROUND

There is a desire to provide consumers with alternatives to traditional tobacco-based smoking products such as cigarettes. In the case of cigarettes, there is a desire to provide alternatives to tobacco-based cigarettes that offer the aesthetic aspects that consumers are familiar with, including sizes, shapes, weights, flavors, and aromas, but that do not actually incorporate tobacco or nicotine.

There is also a desire to provide alternatives to tobacco-based cigarettes that may be substantially the same as tobacco-based cigarettes in their physical and tactile aspects, but that offer different flavors and/or aromas than those of tobacco-based cigarettes.

Hemp is a well-known variety of the Cannabis Sativa-L plant species in the Cannabaceae family, having very low levels of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Hemp has mostly hollow stalks, compound and palm-shaped leaves, and small seed-producing flowers. Hemp is well known to have various uses but has also been noted as a promising basis for smoking products such as cigarettes. For example, the company Wild Hemp™ of Dallas, Tex., U.S.A. offers a Hempettes™ hemp-based cigarette that is advertised to be “packed full of cannabidiol (CBD) and terpenes to create a delicious, aromatic flavor.”

Products such as Wild Hemp's Hempettes are, at least in some ways, aesthetically similar to tobacco-based cigarettes. However, the strong aromas and flavors of such otherwise aesthetically similar products are still very much characteristic of hemp itself. While flavoring might be added to the hemp of a hemp-based cigarette to, in effect, slightly dull the hemp's characteristically powerful aromas and flavors, they would still very much be apparent.

Non-tobacco alternatives to hemp, such as those varieties of Cannabis having higher levels of THC and referred to generally as marijuana, may alternatively or in some combination with hemp be used as the basis for smoking products such as cigarettes. However, like hemp, such substitutes have their own characteristic flavors and aromas that are similarly difficult to dull with the mere addition of flavoring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The strong aromas and flavors that are characteristic of hemp arise primarily from the unique blend of organic compounds known as terpenes that naturally occur in the plant. Similarly, the strong aromas and flavors that are characteristic of other plants, such as marijuana, arise primarily from their respective unique blend of these compounds.

According to an aspect of this description, plant-based material is processed to remove at least some of the naturally occurring terpenes responsible for the characteristic flavor and aroma of the plant-based material. The resulting plant-based material product can thereby serve as an excellent combustible basis for a smoking product that carries less of the characteristic flavor and aroma of the plant-based material itself, and that can be provided with a consistent flavor and aroma.

In an embodiment, the plant-based material is processed to remove substantially all of the naturally occurring terpenes that are responsible for the characteristic flavor and aroma of the plant-based material. The resulting plant-based material product can thereby serve as an excellent combustible basis for a smoking product that carries perceivably none of the characteristic flavor and aroma of the plant-based material itself.

A plant-based material processed to reduce or remove the characteristic flavor and aroma of the plant-based material as described herein can be further treated with flavoring agents such as menthol, tropical flavoring, and/or others. Such a plant-based material product, whether flavored or unflavored, can be treated with other kinds of treatment materials such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), caffeine, THC, and/or others.

In accordance with an aspect, there is provided a method for processing plant-based material for smoking products, the method comprising: maintaining the plant-based material submerged within a liquid medium in a container while the liquid medium is being boiled; removing the boiled plant-based material from the container; and drying the boiled plant-based material, the drying comprising directing negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material thereby to at least partially neutralize odor and/or taste.

Maintaining the plant-based material submerged within the liquid medium while it is being boiled is effective for reducing terpenes in the plant-based material and for cleaning the plant-based material of physical contaminants such as dirt, pesticides, and mold spores. The boiling also serves to condition the plant-based material for downstream manipulation and/or incorporation into smoking products. However, boiling tends also to reduce the levels of naturally occurring cannabinoids in the plant-based material that producers may wish to have remained in the plant-based material. As such, to gain some of the conditioning and terpene-removal benefits of boiling without completely removing the cannabinoids, the time the plant-based material is boiled in the liquid medium is limited. In an embodiment, the boiling of a given mass of plant-based material is limited to five (5) minutes. Following the boiling, the directing of negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material during drying causes negative air ions to bind with at least a portion of terpenes that remain in the boiled plant-based material, thereby further neutralize the odor and/or taste without, at that point, further reducing the cannabinoids levels.

THC is not a legal compound federally. Its use may only be legal in States and only within that State that has legalized its use. Therefore the embodiments of this invention may exclude the addition of THC where it is not legal without changing the method or non-THC embodiments. CBD derived from hemp is federally legal. CBD may also be derived from non-hemp cannabis plants and must meet minimum THC levels to be used for interstate purposes of one embodiment.

In an embodiment, the plant-based material comprises hemp.

In an embodiment, the plant-based material comprises cannabis.

In an embodiment, the liquid medium is water.

In an embodiment, drying comprises drying until the moisture level of the boiled plant-based material is from about 3 percent and about 5 percent.

In an embodiment, the drying comprises drying until the moisture level of the boiled plant-based material is about 5 percent.

In an embodiment, the boiled plant-based material includes less of the contents that are responsible for imparting odor and/or taste than the plant-based material.

In an embodiment, at least a portion of the contents of the boiled plant-based material that are responsible for imparting odor and/or taste comprises terpenes.

In an embodiment, at least a portion of the contents of the boiled plant-based material that are responsible for imparting odor and/or taste comprise flavonoids.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises spreading the boiled plant-based material for drying thereby increasing the exposure of surfaces of the boiled plant-based material to the negative air ions.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises conveying the negative air ions bound with at least a portion of the terpenes away from the boiled plant-based material.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises recovering from the liquid medium at least a portion of cannabinoids separated from the plant-based material during the boiling.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises recovering from the liquid medium at least a portion of terpenes separated from the plant-based material during the boiling.

According to an aspect, there is provided a plant-based material product produced by the method.

According to an aspect, there is provided a treated plant-based material product comprising the plant-based material product produced by the method and a treatment material.

In an embodiment, the treatment material comprises a flavoring agent.

In an embodiment, the flavoring agent is a tobacco flavoring agent.

In an embodiment, the treatment material is selected from the group consisting of: cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), caffeine, a flavoring agent, and combinations thereof.

According to an aspect, there is provided a smoking product incorporating the plant-based material product and/or the treated plant-based material product.

In an embodiment, the smoking product is a cigarette.

According to an aspect, there is provided a plant-based material product comprising boiled plant-based material dried while being exposed to negative air ions.

According to an aspect, there is provided a treated plant-based material product comprising the plant-based material product and a treatment material.

In an embodiment, the treatment material comprises a flavoring agent.

In an embodiment, the flavoring agent is a tobacco-flavoring agent.

In an embodiment, the treatment material is selected from the group consisting of: cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), caffeine, a flavoring agent, and combinations thereof.

According to an aspect, there is provided a smoking product incorporating the plant-based material product and/or the treated plant-based material product.

In an embodiment, the smoking product is a cigarette.

Other aspects and embodiments will become apparent upon reading the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an overview flow chart of processing non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material for smoking products of one embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows for illustrative purposes only an example of non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material processing of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an overview of terpenes found in many plants of one embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an overview of non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material flavoring agents of one embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows for illustrative purposes only an example of a manufacturing/processing flow chart of one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific example in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

General Overview:

It should be noted that the descriptions that follow, for example, in terms of processing plant material for use in smoking products are described for illustrative purposes and the underlying system can apply to any number and multiple types of plant materials. In one embodiment of the present invention, the processing plant material for use in smoking products can be configured using cigarettes. The processing plant material for use in smoking products can be configured to include processes for removing at least a portion of plant material terpenes and can be configured to include adding flavoring agents using the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an overview flow chart of processing non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material for smoking products of one embodiment. FIG. 1 shows selecting and blending non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials for placing in a container for boiling 100. Maintaining the plant-based material submerged within a liquid medium in a container while the liquid medium is being boiled 110. The process continues with removing the boiled plant-based material from container 120 and drying the boiled plant-based material 130.

Drying comprising in one embodiment directing negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material 140 is performed. Drying comprising directing negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material 140 allows binding to the negative air ions and removing a portion of boiled plant-based material terpenes to further neutralize the boiled plant-based material odor and/or taste 150. Treating the dried boiled plant-based material with flavoring agents 160 produces in one embodiment non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material for smoking products with taste familiar with smokers.

Providing at least one non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco smoking product incorporating the plant-based material product or the treated plant-based material product including a cigarette 170. Smokers are more likely to transition in one instance from regular nicotine tobacco cigarettes to the non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material smoking products cigarettes if the appearance, taste, and smokability are not different than what they are used to smoking. The transition being less noticeable to the smoker may allow the smoker to reduce the intake of the addictive nicotine and ease quitting smoking altogether if the smoker chooses to do so in one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 2 shows for illustrative purposes only an example of non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material processing of one embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material manufacturing/processing flow chart 200. In one embodiment non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials contain seeds. In those instances, a seed cleaning 202 process removes the seeds from the selected non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material. A knife mill 210 cuts a selected non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material into smaller sizes for efficiencies in further processing steps. The reduced size selected non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials are mixed in a blending 220 process. The blended selected non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials are processed for packing nylon bags 230 with the blended mixture.

The blended selected non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials in nylon bags are submerged within a liquid medium in a container while the liquid medium is being boiled during a boiling “softening process” 240 and to remove at least a portion of terpenes from the plant-based materials to reduce odor and taste inherent in the plant-based material. In one embodiment the liquid medium is water. The boiling process continues for a predetermined period of time based on the characteristics of the selected non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials. A centrifuge de-watering 250 process removes the liquid medium in preparation for a drying process.

In one embodiment a fast-drying—flash dry high heat short time (no negative-ion, high heat 260 process is performed. In another embodiment a long drying—flash dry high heat short time (negative-ion, 110 f low heat) 270 process is performed. A negative-ion bath passes negative-ions through the plant-based materials to remove at least a portion of terpenes remaining from the plant-based materials to reduce the odor and taste inherent in the plant-based material. In one embodiment the dried non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials are packaged in a vacuum sealing 290 process. In another embodiment, the dried non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials are flavored in a blending/flavoring 280 processes and then packaged in a vacuum sealing 290 process. The processed non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials are provided for non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco products. For example, in one embodiment the product is non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material smoking products unflavored cigarettes 292. In another embodiment, for example the product is non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material smoking products flavored cigarettes 294.

To process plant-based material such as hemp so that it is in a condition for flavoring/treatment and subsequent co-packing as a smoking product, various steps are undertaken. For example, incoming plant-based material (flower, stalks, leaves, seeds) is documented and weighed and, if the plant-based material has excessive branches and sticks, is shucked. In this embodiment, for the most part, the plant-based material is kept intact for much of the downstream processing such as boiling and drying, instead of being broken down beforehand using, for example, a knife mill or a seed knife mill. Particularly in the case of plant-based material with cannabinoids, keeping the plant-based material as intact as possible through processing may reduce some of the loss of the cannabinoids that are desired for products.

In one embodiment to reduce waste processing is performed to reconstitute the hemp material. The residual hemp material from the manufacturing is boiled, dried, and ‘bathe’ in negative ions for 7 days producing a pulp. The pulp is 70% tasteless, flavorless hemp. In one embodiment the blended plant-based material is 70% hemp pulp and 30% cocoa husks. In another embodiment the blended plant-based material is 94% hemp pulp and 6% mullein. In yet another embodiment the blended plant-based material is 70% hemp pulp with 24% cocoa husks and 6% mullein. The pulp is processed into leaflets. The leaflets are cased and cut into what is called “cut rag”. Flavoring is added to the cut rag then vacuum sealed in bags and used in the manufacture of for example non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco smoking products. Reconstitution of the residual hemp materials reduces waste material in a range of 40-50% to less than 5%. The reconstituted hemp materials retain about 50% of cannabinoids after primary manufacturing and cut rag manufacturing. The finished reconstituted hemp materials non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco smoking products have the appearance, taste, smell, touch, sound, and sensation of smoking as tobacco smoking products without the nicotine and tobacco without compromising the smoking experience of one embodiment.

Following any shucking, a quantum of the plant-based material is submerged in a liquid medium contained with a container. In this embodiment, the liquid medium is water that may, at the time of submerging, be already at a boil, or that may be brought to a boil while the plant-based material is submerged. In this embodiment, the plant-based material is boiled within the container for about five (5) minutes and is then removed. The plant-based material may be held under the liquid medium using a screen, in somewhat the same manner as is done during pasteurization for brewing, using a device and container that is functionally similar to, though different in scale and other respects, a coffee press.

In this embodiment, rather than rapidly cooling the boiled plant-based material in ice water as might be done in other processes, the boiled plant-based material is allowed to cool more slowly outside of the container. This permits the continued killing of enzymes for a time after the plant-based material has been removed from the container.

With the boiled plant-based material having been removed from the container, the liquid medium may be re-used with another batch of the plant medium, may be filtered, or may be entirely discarded. It will be appreciated that re-use of the liquid medium is preferable to discarding it entirely, provided that the contaminants removed from a previous batch of plant-based material are not then imparted to a current batch of plant-based material, frustrating the object of the boiling. Various filtration methods suitable for filtering the liquid medium either after every batch, or more continuously rather than as solely as a batch process, are available.

Because the boiling process will, along with contaminants, remove terpenes and cannabinoids from the plant-based material, a recovery process may be conducted that recovers/captures the terpenes and/or cannabinoids from the liquid medium so that they can be used in downstream processes. For example, such terpenes and/or cannabinoids may be collected and re-incorporated as part of the resultant smoking products or may be collected and used for other purposes entirely.

The boiled plant-based material is then spread out on drying screens for drying. Drying, in this embodiment, includes directing air towards and through the boiled and spread-out plant-based material. Furthermore, to aid in the further neutralization of the naturally occurring flavors and aromas, a negative ion generator and fan are used to generate and direct negative air ions towards and through the boiled and spread-out plant-based material lying on the screens. The negative air ions are conveyed from the negative ion generator by the fan through tubes having exit apertures proximal to the screens. As the air passes through the plant-based material, the negative ions bind with the terpenes in the plant-based material but not with the cannabinoids. The binding serves to neutralize the terpenes and the air is thereafter conveyed away from the plant-based material via ventilation.

The boiled plant-based material is subjected to drying including the directing of the negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material until the boiled plant-based material reaches a moisture level of about 5 percent. The thus-processed plant-based material is then removed from the screens and optionally subjected to further treatment using a treatment material. For example, further treatment may include the blending of a treatment material with the processed plant-based material. The treatment material may be a cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabigerol (CBG), caffeine, and a flavoring agent, some combination of these materials, or other materials or combinations thereof. Following this, the processed material is packaged for shipping to a co-packer for physical inclusion as part of a smoking product such as a cigarette, or is simply conveyed without the need for shipping to a downstream station for inclusion as part of the smoking product.

Although embodiments have been described, those of skill in the art will appreciate that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit, scope, and purpose of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

For example, while in embodiments described herein drying brings the moisture level of the boiled plant-based material down to about 5 percent, alternatives are possible in which the moisture level is higher or lower than about 5 percent, such as between about 3 and about 5 percent. It will be appreciated that moisture levels may be advantageously different for different smoking products.

Furthermore, while in embodiments described herein a particular process for processing plant-based material to produce a plant-based material product is used, alternatives are possible. For example, other processes for producing a plant-based material product comprising boiled plant-based material dried while being exposed to negative air ions may be provided.

Terpenes Found in Many Plants:

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an overview of terpenes found in many plants of one embodiment. FIG. 3 shows selecting plant-based materials used for smoking from a group consisting of 311 pelletized tea leaves 312, hemp 313, cocoa husks 314, mullein 315, synthetic tobacco 316, and synthetic non-addictive nicotine 317. Boiling plant-based materials removes at least a portion of terpenes from plant-based materials 320. Negative ions used in the drying process removes at least a portion of terpenes from plant-based materials 330. Removing terpenes reduces the natural odor and taste from the plant-based materials 340. After drying, smoking products are produced without added flavorings 345 and are used in producing smoking products. After drying processes smoking products are produced with added flavorings for smokers who are used to smoking flavored tobacco products 350. Flavored and unflavored smoking products are non-addictive-nicotine and non-tobacco alternatives 360.

Flavored and unflavored smoking products are non-addictive-nicotine and non-tobacco alternatives 360 that may assist smokers desiring to quit smoking in reducing addictive nicotine intake 370. A nicotine tobacco cessation digital device app provides suggestions in quitting nicotine and tobacco 380. The nicotine tobacco cessation digital device app facilitates creating quitting nicotine and tobacco group and family and friends support groups 390 of one embodiment.

Non-Addictive-Nicotine Non-Tobacco Plant-Based Material Flavoring Agents:

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an overview of non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material flavoring agents of one embodiment. FIG. 4 shows selecting flavorings to treat non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials 400. Treating the non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based materials with at least one flavoring from a group consisting of 410 where legal and in accordance with federal, state, and local laws cannabidiol (CBD) 420, where legal and in accordance with federal, state, and local laws cannabigerol (CBG) 430, caffeine 440, synthetic tobacco flavoring 450, synthetic non-addictive-nicotine flavoring 452, other flavoring agents and combinations of flavoring agents 460. This method and processing are for creating a non-addictive-nicotine, non-tobacco plant-based materials smoking product that in appearance, taste, and smokability is what a smoker is accustomed to when smoking 470. Mimicking the smoker's habitual product in appearance, taste, and smokability may aid the smoker in not returning to their old smoking products 480 of one embodiment.

Manufacturing/Processing Flow Chart:

FIG. 5 shows for illustrative purposes only an example of manufacturing/processing flow chart of one embodiment. FIG. 5 shows in one embodiment a manufacturing/processing flow chart 500. The manufacturing/processing flow chart 500 shows product handling and processing and equipment utilized for the processing. A plant-based product for example may include hemp in super sacks 510 that are processed in seed cleaners 520. A knife/hammer mill 530 chops the hemp plant-based materials into smaller pieces.

A double cone mixer/blender 540 blends a selected mixture of plant-based materials and packages the selected mixture in mesh bags 550. A blancher 560 is used for boiling the selected plant mixture in the mesh bags 550 to remove at least a portion of terpenes. A dewatering centrifuge 570 processes the selected plant mixture in the mesh bags 550 to remove water and other liquids used in the boiling process.

A double cone vacuum dryer 580 performs a drying process that includes a negative ion air purifier bath 582 to further remove at least a portion of terpenes remaining in the plant-based materials. A double cone mixer/flavor 590 is used for applying selected flavorings to the dried plant-based materials. Both unflavored and flavored dried selected plant-based materials are placed in a container and are vacuum-sealed using a vacuum seal 592 device of one embodiment.

The foregoing has described the principles, embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed. The above described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for processing plant-based material for smoking products, the method comprising:

maintaining the plant-based material submerged within a liquid medium in a container while the liquid medium is being boiled;

removing the boiled plant-based material from the container;

drying the boiled plant-based material; and

directing negative air ions through boiled plant-based materials to at least partially neutralize odor and/or taste.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plant-based material comprises hemp.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plant-based material comprises cannabis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid medium is water.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein drying comprises drying until the moisture level of the boiled plant-based material is from about 3 percent and about 5 percent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the boiled plant-based material includes less of the contents that are responsible for imparting odor and/or taste than the plant-based material.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plant-based materials used for smoking include pelletized tea leaves, hemp, cocoa husks, mullein, synthetic tobacco, and synthetic non-addictive nicotine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein directing the negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material causes the negative air ions to bind with at least a portion of terpenes in the boiled plant-based material that is responsible for imparting odor and/or taste, thereby to neutralize the odor and/or taste.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising spreading the boiled plant-based material for drying thereby increasing the exposure of surfaces of the boiled plant-based material to the negative air ions.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying the negative air ions bound with at least a portion of the terpenes away from the boiled plant-based material.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a container for maintaining the plant-based material submerged within a liquid medium in the container while the liquid medium is being boiled;

a drying device for placing the boiled plant-based material from the container; and

at least one drying system includes a device for directing negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material to at least partially neutralize odor and/or taste.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a liquid medium recovery device for recovering from the liquid medium at least a portion of terpenes separated from the plant-based material during the boiling.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a treatment device for applying at least one flavoring agent onto the dried boiled plant-based material.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a negative air ions drying system for producing negative air ions for directing negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a humidity sensor for monitoring the humidity level of the drying boiled plant-based material.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material processing system for producing non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material smoking products;

a container for maintaining the plant-based material submerged within a liquid medium in the container while the liquid medium is being boiled;

a drying device for placing the boiled plant-based material from the container;

at least one drying system including a device for directing negative air ions towards and through the boiled plant-based material to at least partially neutralize odor and/or taste;

at least one treatment device for treating dried boiled plant-based material with at least one treatment material; and

at least one processing device for producing smoking products with the non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material including cigarettes.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one treatment material that is a flavoring agent including a tobacco-flavoring agent.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a nicotine tobacco cessation digital device app to assist the smoker of the non-addictive-nicotine non-tobacco plant-based material smoking products with suggestions in quitting smoking.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one treatment material is selected from the group consisting of: cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), caffeine, a flavoring agent, and combinations thereof.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising the container liquid medium is water.